Tripping device for power-presses.



J. H. RODGERS & W. J. SPENGE.

TRIPPING DEVICE FOR POWER PRESSES.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.6, 1912.

1,075,671, Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

2 BHEETBSHBET 1.

Fig.1.

Witnesses: Inventors :oummm r-mNomz/u-ll c1, WASHINGTON. u. 1:v

J. H. RODGERSQGZ W. J. SPENGE.

TRIPPING DEVIGE FOR POWER PRESSBS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1912.

1 ,075,6'? Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Witnesses: Inventors.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60-. wAsmNa'mN, D. c.

, upon the operating treadle.

JAMES HENDERSON RODGERS AND WILLIAM JOHN SPENCE, OF HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA.

TRIPPING nnvron FOR rownarnnssns.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

Application filed April 6, 1912. Serial No. 689,090.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, J AMES HENDERSON Ronenns, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at 356 Garth street, and VIL- LIAM JOHN SrnNcE, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at 87 East avenue north, both in the city of Hamilton, in the county of WVentworth, in the Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tripping Devices for Power-Presses and Analogous Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tripping devices for power presses and analogous machines.

Heretofore devices of the kind referred to have been more or less effective in action, but

we have found by very careful observation that press operators frequently cultivate the habit of automatically keeping their foot Further we have carefully noted that after a time the limb of the operator becomes to a certain extent numbed or relaxed with the result that the lower limb operates more or less like a dead weight. The natural out-come of these characteristics is that a large percentage of press accidents are consequent upon the limb automatically depressing the foot treadle at other times than the correct one to release the clutch or latch. Furthermore we have often noted that a slight movement of the operators body either forwardly or backward is instantly followed by the automatic lowering of the leg with disastrous results to said operators fingers or the work to be operated upon.

The main object of our invention is to overcome the foregoing defects by providing a duplex tripping device which compels the operator to move the foot from one treadle to another before the clutch or latch can again be released.

A further object of our invention is to provide a duplex safety tripping device which is more particularly applicable for use upon blanking, forming and similar presses.

Another object of our invention is to construct a tripping device characterized by the fact that the operators foot is given a few seconds rest at the lowermost position crumed at 5, on

whereby the strain of lifting same is considerably reduced if not entirely eliminated.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a tripping device of simple and practical construction and which can be attached to presses in a few minutes at a minimum of expense and which furthermore does not adversely affect the operation of the press nor prevent the rapid and economical operation thereof.

These and other objects as will be apparent from the following description are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, and in which similar reference characters des1g nate the same or similar parts in all the figures.

Figure 1, is a side elevation of one convenient embodiment of our invention. Fig. 2, is a rear end view of the same or looking toward the right in Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a detail hereinafter more specifically referred to. Fig. 4, is a diagrammatic view showing the position of certain parts at the time the operator commences to trip the press.

According to the embodiment of our invention illustrated, 1, is a base casting which is adapted for fixture to the floor of the press room or elsewhereadjoining one side of the press-in any of the well known ways. This casting 1, is provided with an upstanding bracket 2, on which are mounted the various operating parts.

3, 4, are two treadle levers loosely fulthe aforesaid bracket 2, and in the drawings they are partly broken away at their foot or treadle ends 6, 7, there of for ease in illustration.

8, 9, are links pivotally connected at their lower ends, 10, 11, to the aforesaid treadle levers 3, 4, respectively; and at their upper ends 12, 13, they are similarly connected at diametrically opposed points to a gear wheel 14, conveniently journaled between bearings 15, 15, provided for the purpose on the above referred to bracket 2. It will thus be seen that when the one lever 3, is lowered, as shown the other lever 4, will be raised, and vice versa.

The gear wheel 14, meshes with a pinion 16, securely fixed on a shaft 17 journaled in bearings 18, 18, provided for the purpose on the aforesaid upstanding bracket 2, and on one end of said shaft 17, there are arranged two disks 19, 20, the former of which is keyed or otherwise fixedly secured there on, and the latter'whereof is loosely mounted for the purpose hereafter explained. In order to provide for an independent move ment of the disk 19, relative to the disk 20, we provide in the latter a segmental slot 21, in which is located the free end of a stud 22, rigidly secured to and carried by the disk 19. Secured on the opposite end of the shaft 17, is a crank arm or lever 23, which is connected at its lower or free end 24, by a fork ended connecting'rod, 25, with an auxiliary oscillatory lever 26, fulcrumed at 27, on the bracket 2. Mounted on the fulcrum 27, at its opposite end is a second aux iliary lever 28, to which is adapted for adjustable connection the press trip rod 29, coupled at its upper end with the latch release 30, which may be of any of the well known patterns as it forms no part of our invention, and we lay no claim thereto.

This part of our device will be self evident to all those skilled in the art to which our invention appertains, and the usual spring return-not shown-may be also fitted in connection therewith. At the front end of the auxiliary lever 28, we pivotally mount a plunger rod 31,see more clearly in Fig. 3which is connected at its upper end to a piston 32, adapted to reciprocate in a vertically disposed dash-pot or air-cylinder 33, of any appropriate pattern.

34, is the passage permitting the air to flow from one to the other side of the piston- 32; and 35, is the controlling and regulating valve for the inlet escape of the air and the dash-pot 33, is conveniently mounted and fixed on one side of the bracket 2, by set screws 36, 36; or, it may be cast integrally therewith, or otherwise attached.

Intermediate the connection 29, to the auxiliary lever 28, and the connection 31, to the dash-pot 33, we pivot-ally connect at 37, a forked lever 38, the upper end whereof is fulcrumed at 39, to the above referred to loose disk 20, at a point diametrically opposite the center of the length of the aforesaid slot 21. It is to be here noted that the gear wheel 14, and pinion 16, are geared in the ratio of three-to-one so that a movement of the gear 14, through an angle of sixty degrees insures a half turn of the pinion 16. For slow action presses and similar machines the dash-pot 33, is preferably employed, but for quick-action presses it may conveniently be dispensed with; furthermore if desired th entire device may be inclosed or covered in by a sheet metal casing.

40, is a lug on the base 1, in which is rigidly secured an upstanding T-shaped bar, to the laterally projecting arms of which erated twice by the same treadle and that the press is locked when the treadle is in its lowermost position is that the treadle when it reaches its downward limit of movement has just carried link 38 beyond its center. Downward movement of said link draws latch 30 downwardly and releases the press, but only'for a single revolution. After link 38 passes the center the springs 42, without further movement of the treadle, act to impart an additional movement to disk 20 to raise link 38 and consequently the trip 30 so that the press after a single revolution is brought to a stop. This additional movement of the disk 20 is rendered possible through the lost motion connection provided by pin 22 and slot 21. During the initial movement of the crank 24 and disk 19, pin 22 moves to the end of the slot. Then the two disks move together until crank 24 passes the center. Crank 24 moves to a point diametrically opposite the position shown in Fig. 1, but disk 20 moves enough farther under the influence of spring 42, to bring pin 22 to an intermediate position in slot 21 as in Fig. 1.

The operation of the device is briefly, as

follows: When the operator presses down upon the treadle 6, for example, the lever 4, is lowered and thereby lowers the link 9:

which movement causes the gear wheel 14, to

be revolved through an angle of sixty degrees about its axis in a clockwise direct-ion. This movement turns the pinion 16, in a contra-clockwise direction a one-half turn and owing to the disk 19, being fixedly secured on the shaft 17, said disk 19, will be moved through an angle of thirty degrees before the stud 22, contacts with the end of the slot 21, to move the disk 20. When this connection is set up the forked lever 38, will be lowered and thereby release the latch 30, through the connections 28, 29. Simultaneously with the aforesaid movements the crank 23, will be swung through a half circle to the right hand in Fig. 1, and at the same time the treadle 7, will be raised through the connections 8, 10, 12. This action will cause the piston 32, to descend and release the air from its under side whereupon it will escape through an opening or valve 43, in the upper end of the dash-pot. After the depression of each lever 3, 4:, the springs ll, 42, respectively return said parts to the raised posi tion and at the same time return the latch 30, to its locking position.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that when the one treadle 6, is fully lowered the press releasing mechanism is locked and that the operator must transfer the foot to the raised treadle 7 for the next operation of the press; or, in other words, said operator must alternately transfer the foot from the one treadle to the other to insure continuous working. Furthermore it will be readily seen that in no case can the press be tripped twice in succession by one treadle, which fact causes the operator to keep his or her attention riveted on the work and not to become an automaton.

Obviously the invention may be readily adapted to any type of press worked or operated by a foot lever release for the clutch or latch mechanism, as all parts are made interchangeable; and we wish it clearly understood that we do not confine ourselves to the specific arrangement and combination of parts illustrated and described, various alterations in their shape and other arrangements thereof being possible without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention, and it is intended to include ll such within the present application.

Having thus described our invention and its advantages, what we claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a tripping device for power presses, the combination with a supporting member comprising an upstanding bracket, a pair of foot levers fulcrumed to said bracket, a gear wheel journaled upon said bracket, links connecting said foot levers to said gear wheel at diametrically opposite points, a pinion mounted for rotation upon said bracket and meshing with said gear wheel, auxiliary levers, means connecting said pinion to said auxiliary levers and adapted to create operative connection therewith after each foot lever has been moved downward a certain distance, a press releasing member and means connecting one of said auxiliary levers to the press releasing member.

2. 1n tripping device for power presses the combination of, a press releasing member, a supporting member furnished with an upstanding bracket, a pair of foot levers fulcrumed to said bracket and adapted for alternate depression, a gear wheel, a pinion, links connected to said foot levers and to said gear wheel at diametrically oppo- Site points, said gear wheel being journaled in bearings on said bracket and meshing with said pinion, a loose disk on the pinion shaft, a disk rigidly secured on the pinion shaft and adapted for operative connection with said loose disk after said fixed disk has been moved a certain distance, by the depression of either foot lever, auxiliary levers and means connecting one of said auxiliary levers to the press releasing member.

3. 1n a tripping device for power presses, the combination with a supporting member, of a pair of foot levers fulcrumed thereon, and adapted for alternate depression, an oscillatory gear wheel, links connected to said gear wheel at diametrically opposite points, said links being also connected to said levers, a pinion with which said gear wheel meshes, a shaft upon which said inion is mounted, a disk fast upon said sha t, a disk loose upon said shaft and having a lost motion connection with the first named disk, an auxiliary lever fulcrumed upon the supporting member, a press controlling element, means connecting the loose disk with the press controlling element and a crank and pitman connection between the pinion shaft and said auxiliary lever.

4. In a tripping device for power presses, the combination with a supporting member comprising an upstanding bracket, of a pair of foot levers fulcrumed to said bracket and adapted for alternate depression; a pair of links, a gear wheel to which said links are connected at diametrically op osite points, said gear wheel being journa ed in bearings on said bracket, a pinion shaft and pinion journaled on said bracket and meshing with said gear wheel, a disk rigidly secured on the pinion shaft, a disk loose on said shaft and having lost motion engagement with the first named disk, an auxiliary lever fulcrumed on said bracket, a crank and pitman connection between said auxiliary lever and the pinion shaft, a second auxiliary lever, a pitman connecting said last named lever with said loose disk, a press releasing element connected to the last named lever and means for automatically returning said auxiliary and foot levers to raised position after each depression.

5. In a tripping device for power presses, the combination with a supporting member comprising an upstanding bracket, of a pair of foot levers fulcrumed to said bracket and adapted for alternate depression; a pair of links, a gear wheel to which said links are connected at diametrically opposite points, said gear wheel being journaled in bearings on said bracket, a pinion shaft and pinion journaled on said bracket and meshing with said gear wheel, a disk rigidly secured on the pinion shaft, a disk loose on said shaft and having lost motion engagement with the first named disk, an auxiliary lever fulcrumed on said bracket, a crank and pitman connection between said auxiliary lever and the pinion shaft, a second auxiliary lever, a pitman connecting said last named lever with said loose disk, a press Signed at Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, releasing element connected to the last this 29th day of February 1912.

named lever and means for automatically JAMES HENDERSON RODGERS. returning said auxiliary and foot levers to WILLIAM JOHN SPENCE- 5 raised position after each depression and In the presence of an air brake for retarding the return of the ALFRED T. BRATTON, foot levers on their upward stroke. GERTIE NICHOLSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Yatents Washington, D. C. 

